Evil Dead: The Game 2026 Review (Xbox, PlayStation & PC)

Evil Dead: The Game would have been the Dead by Daylight killer, if not for its abrupt departure from the asymmetrical field of nightmares. At one point, you would’ve called it great—groovy, even. But, like Friday the 13th, it eventually succumbed to the same fate as its dreary-eyed kin. The Boomstick was hung out to collect dust, and Ash, along with the Dark Ones and the other demonic creatures from the quote-filled horror franchise, were given the cold shoulder to help pave the way for other worlds to come to fruition.

Here’s the good news: Evil Dead is still playable. That said, it is only possible to venture back into the woods if you either own a digital version of the game, or if, by some random miracle, you have access to a physical copy. If you’re a new eagle-eyed player who simply wants to experience it for the first time, however, then you might just struggle to swagger your asymmetrical mind in these timid waters.

In an effort to answer the question of whether or not Evil Dead is still worth playing in 2026, we decided to bolt back into the blue and tread the waters for a second time. The idea was simple: to decide whether the Book of the Dead still had stories left to tell, or if it had burned all of its pages in the aftermath of its 2023 departure from the cellar.

Evil Dead: The Game unfolds in a similar fashion as Dead by Daylight, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Friday the 13th. As a Survivor—a subcategory that generously includes Leaders, Warriors, Hunters, and Support classes—or a Demon, you have the task of either spearheading a ritual to banish said Demon, or utilizing various supernatural abilities to thwart the Survivors’ progress and eliminate players in a thirty-minute window.

Survivors, as a team of four, are given the opportunity to collect resources, pages of the ritualistic literature, and items that can propel their efforts forward. Demons, however, are given the task of manipulating the board in a Dungeon Master-like manner and, through the power of tactical analysis and possession, downing Survivors before they can muster up the strength to defeat the Dark Ones. Regardless of the class you choose and the abilities that you harness, the goal remains the same across each map: collaborate with your teammates to quell the Dark Ones, or foster otherworldly abilities to obliterate Survivors within a time limit.

To give credit where it’s due, Evil Dead has a lot of classes to work with. For example, the Demon has its own host of classes, which includes the Necromancer, Warlord, Puppeteer, The Schemer, and Plaguebringer, all of whom have their own special abilities and army of minions. Survivors, while not as well equipped as their demonic counterparts, also have a host of skills that, when combined, can turn incompetent teams into well-oiled machines that often stand a chance of beating their opponent at their own game. Granted, Survivors have a lower chance of survival, given that Demon abilities often outweigh others on the field. But, that’s an asymmetrical PvP game for you.

Fortunately, fans of the Evil Dead franchise can still rejoice in the fact that the game has a staggering number of Easter Eggs and movie-related references to unearth. The world has all of the same landmarks and set pieces, and the characters each have their own respective attributes and original voiceovers. The visuals, too, are above the average benchmark, with a photorealistic look and enough gory detail to capture the essence of the source material.

It almost feels like a kick to the stomach, really, given that Evil Dead has the potential and the fan base to survive the asymmetrical onslaught. The framework is here, as is the captivating, albeit challenging gameplay loop that makes progression feel both rewarding and satisfying. But, due to its lack of online support and its loss of popularity, it just isn’t the same game as it was back in 2022. Of course, there are still various single-player challenges to overcome here, and there are still opportunities for existing players to spread their demonic wings and experience the game as a smaller, almost watered-down version of the original model. But, that’s about all that it is: a skeletal version of its previous incarnation.

Suffice it to say that, if you are hoping to bury your head in the Evil Dead universe for the first time, then you might as well save your time and opt for another asymmetrical horror. Matchmaking, for example, is essentially dead in the water, as is the hope of ever resuscitating it in its natural form. There’s a fickle way to scrape just a smidgen of joy out of it, for sure. But, if you’re looking for a loftier and, more importantly, active game with a sustainable future, then you might want to cut your losses and send Evil Dead out to greener pastures in favor of an alternative.

Verdict

Evil Dead: The Game might be, well, dead, but that isn’t to say that it’s without a frail soul. Granted, with its online presence being a major source of energy for the game, its lack of continuity is the death knell here. And it’s a crying shame, truly, as there is still a great asymmetrical horror PvP game to enjoy here. Though, without the backbone to support its new direction, it isn’t quite as inviting as it was back in its heyday. For seasoned players, maybe. But, for those who have yet to take the plunge into its neck of the woods, I just can’t bring myself to say that it’s worth your time.

To save you the disappointment — no, Evil Dead: The Game isn’t worth playing in 2026. In 2022, it would have been the perfect time to wax those asymmetrical tendencies. But, if by some random coincidence you are looking to scrape the remaining pieces out of the bottom of this barrel, then you might want to look elsewhere for that ever-elusive remedy.